Implantable ophthalmic lens, a method of manufacturing same and a mold for carrying out said method

Abstract

An implantable ophthalmic lens manufactured at least partly out of soft, elastic and pliable material substantially in the shape of a saucer is described. It includes an outer optical face forming one side of the lens, and an inner optical face forming the other side of the lens. A center portion of the inner optical face of the lens as well as the lens rim each have the shape of meniscus derived from the corresponding meniscus of a liquid precursor prior to solidification, the center portion meniscus and the rim meniscus being connected by an annular ring, all surfaces of the lens except the center portion of the inner optical face and the lens rim being replicas of a solid mold from which it is formed. The inner optical face center portion and the lens rim have the shape of a liquid precursor solidified in contact with an inert fluid. The method of manufacturing an ophthalmic lens involves solidification of a liquid precursor in an at least bipartite mold with a dished base and a tubular top member which is extendable under the surface of a liquid precursor. The annular ring is preferably a conically ground face.

I claim: 
     
       1. An implantable ophthalmic lens manufactured at least partly out of soft, elastic and pliable material substantially in the shape of a saucer, consisting of an outer optical face forming one side of the lens, and of an inner optical face forming the other side of the lens, said lens being capable of replacement, after having been implanted either into an anterior or posterior eye chamber or into a cornea and having the function of a natural lens, wherein a center portion of the inner optical face of the lens as well as the lens rim each having the shape of a meniscus derived from the corresponding meniscus of a liquid precursor prior to its solidification, the center portion meniscus and the rim meniscus being connected by an annular ring, all surfaces of said lens except the center portion of the inner optical face and the lens rim being replicas of a solid mold from which it is formed, and said inner optical face center portion and said lens rim having the shape of a liquid precursor solidified in contact with an inert fluid. 
     
     
       2. The implantable ophthalmic lens as defined in claim 1, wherein said annular ring is angled upwardly in a direction away from the center portion of said inner optical face. 
     
     
       3. The implantable ophthalmic lens as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer optical surface includes a center portion which has a shape selected from the group consisting of convex, planar and concave. 
     
     
       4. The implantable ophthalmic lens as defined in claim 1, wherein said center portion of said inner optical face contains at least two different, unseparably united materials having different refractive indices and lying coaxially adjacent each other. 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing an implantable ophthalmic lens as defined in claim 1, wherein a liquid precursor is solidified in a fixed, open top mold to establish an exposed top surface of said liquid precursor and wherein the inner optical surface of said lens is shaped by immersing a coaxial tubular mold part into said exposed top surface precursor. 
     
     
       6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein liquid precursors of different compositions are added in separate portions, the preceding portion being left to solidify before the following one is poured. 
     
     
       7. A mold for manufacturing an implantable ophthalmic lens by the method of claim 5, consisting of at least two parts, the first being a bottom dished part with a cavity surrounded by a sharp edge and the second being a tubular coaxial part extending with a conically ground face into said bottom dished part and being movably connected thereto such that when said bottom dished part contains a liquid precursor, said tubular coaxial part may be moved into a top surface of said liquid precursor to form an implantable ophthalmic lens. 
     
     
       8. A mold as defined in claim 7, having spaces above the central inside of the tubular member as well as above the outer rim, separated from each other, closed against the surrounding atmosphere and fillable with an inert fluid medium.